Collapsible tube cap



April 10, 1934. F. B. STRANG 1,954,717

COLLAPS IBLE TUBE CAP Filed Oct. 10, 1932 ATTORNEY:

Patented Apr. 10, 1934 COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CAP Francis B. Strang, Homestead, Pa.

I Application October 10,

1932, Serial No. 631,168

2 Claims. (01. 221-60) l evaporation of the contents of the container or v the entrance of foreign matter into the latter and permits the cost of manufacture of this device to be maintained at a minimum.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists in certain novel features of constructiomcombination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention,

reference is to be had to the following description thereover. The outer face of the cap or closure and. accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a container with a cap or closure applied thereto constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a similar'view taken at right angles to Fi u e 1. a Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3. v 1

Figure 5 is an end view illustrating tainer and its discharge neck.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a modified means of attaching the cap or closure to the container.

Figure 7 is a similar view illustrating another modified form of attaching means acting as a tension medium for normally urging the cap or closure into a position for closing the container.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a modified means of connecting the cap or closure to the container.

Figure 9 is a similar view taken at right angles to that shown in Figure 8.

' Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the form ofdnvennon shown in Figures'8 and 9. I

Figure 11 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating another modified form of my invention. v

Figure 12 is a plan view of the form of invention shown in Figure 11 with the cap or closure removed.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates the body of a collapsible tube the con or container having formed integrally therewith a hollow semi-circular shaped neck 2, providing an arcuate-shaped outer face 3 and flat side faces 4 on which are formed socketed bearings 5 to receive inwardly directed ends 6 of a sub- 50 stantially U-shaped attaching element '7, the bight portion 8 thereof extending transversely of the arcuately curved face 3 and spaced therefrom and fitting in a groove 9 formed in a closure or cap 10 adapted for movement overthe arcuate face and prevented from lateral movement with respect thereto by flanges 11 frictionally engaging the side faces 4. The neck is provided with a discharge opening 12 extending through the arcuate face 3 and adapted to be opened and closed by the cap or closure 10. The cap or closure upon its inner face is recessed to receive a gasket 13 adapted to seal the outlet opening 12 when the cap or closure is positioned is recessed, as shown at 14, to permit a person's finger to readily flt on the cap without the danger of slipping from the latter during the actuation ofj the cap for opening and closing the outlet opening 12. The can when positioned over the opening, the gasket frictionally engages the arcuate-shaped wall, thereby effectively sealing the contents ofthe tube to prevent evaporation or the entranceof foreign matter. The cap when moved to open or closethe' outlet opening 12 has a wiping contact with the arcuate face 3, removing therefrom foreign matter and any of the contents of the tube which may adhere thereto, thereby maintaining the device in a sanitary condition. The ends of the element 7 are connectedto the neck slightly below center of the neck 2 to cause the cap to more tightly fit the neck 1 when in a closed position.

I If desired the journals 5 need not project beyond the side faces 4 and are more in the form of sockets formed directly in the side walls.

The journals 5 are notched, as shown at 15, to receive the arm portions of the connecting mem- 1 for the purpose of tensioning said arm portions when the cap is moved to an open positiog sothat when said cap is released the arms automatically return the cap to a closed position. The notches are provided with diverging walls on which the arms ride when the cap is moved to an open position thereby tensioning said 1 arms to cause closing of the; cap when released.

' As shown in Figure 6, journals 16, in the form of pintles may be provided in lieu of thejournals 5 andthe ends of the connecting member -7 may be bent into eye formation, shown at 17, to

' tion, as shown in dotted hues, the connecting be of segmental shape and member will be flexed and due to its material a certain amount of tension will be developed therein to cause the cap to automatically assume a closed position when manually freed. As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the neck 20 is o! a similar shape to the neck shown in the other forms of my invention except the sides are provided with guide flanges 21 fitting within guide ooves 22 of a closure cap 23. The cap 23 thus connected to the neck maybe slid relative thereto for the purpose of opening and closing the outlet opening thereof. It is preferable that the guide flanges 21 increase in width opposite the discharge opening so as to bind the cap when disposed over the opening and prevent the latter from accidentally moving into an open position.

Projections 21' may be formed opposite the dischargeopening and are received in the guide grooves of the cap to snap in notches 22' when the cap is in a closed position to prevent accidental movement of the cap from the stated position.

As shown in Figures 11 and 12 the neck 24 may flanged similar to the neck 20 and carrying thereon the cap 23. The flanges of the neck 24 project slightly beyond one end of the-neck to form tips 25 which may be bent angularly to prevent the cap from moving neck.

. move the closure element to cover oif of the neck after being once applied to said While I have shown and describedithe piefen-ed mbodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, as claimed.

Having described theinvention, I claim:

1. A collapsible tube cap incuding a neck having an arcuate shaped outer face and fiat side walls and a discharge opening in said outer face, a closure element slidably mounted on' the outer face and opening and closing the discharge opening, a resilient substantially U-shaped attaching element having a bight portion connected to the closure element and arm portions overlying the side walls, and means for connecting the ends of the arm portions to the side walls to tension the arm portions by the closure element moving into a position to uncover the discharge opening whereby said arm portions act to move the closure element to cover the discharge opening when released from said position.

2. A collapsible tube cap including a neck having an arcuate shaped outer face and flat side walks and adischar'ge opening in said outer face, a closure element slidably mounted on the outer face and opening and closing the discharge opening, a resilient substantially U-shaped attaching element having a bight portion connected to the closure element and arm portions overlying the side walls, and socketed lugs on the side walls and receiving theends of the armportions whereby raid arm portions become tensioned by the closure element moving in a position to uncover the discharge opening, said arm portions acting to said discharge opening when released from said position.

FRANCIS B. STRANG. 

